Why so many writing/typing errors?

Question

So many posts on here are void of any kind of grammar/spelling checks.
Why?
The odd apostrophe or something, fine...but some are just nonsense!
Are there more and more illiterate people, or are people just becoming to [sic] lazy to bother reading what they've written first?

Response to Kate: French, German, Malay & Thai.
You?

Answer 1

It is a question that has been asked here many times and will continue to be asked in the future I am sure.

My hubby works in education and the standards of spelling and grammar in some of the 16/17 year olds is unbelievable. My 7 year old daughter seriously has a better grip upon language tools than these kids. It is a real shame - who, in the future, is going to write our books and readable newspapers? I don't have anything against text speak etc so long as they remain within the medium for which they have been developed.

And that one that you flagged in your question really riles me too!

Answer 2

I think it's the result of abolishing any requirement for correct spelling, grammar and punctuation for public exams, in Europe anyway. When I was a student, one simply didn't pass written exams unless one could produce a presentable paper to the examiner. As it is possible to go through the system and graduate in English without being able to spell or punctuate, and with little concept of grammar, presumably the younger teachers are not equipped to teach the up and coming generation of schoolchildren those things. Yet, in this computer based age, these things are in fact very important. I've lost track of the number of questions I've answered where the questioner could have looked up whatever it was himself, only didn't know how to spell it!

Answer 3

One factor is laziness as a result of technology via computers or cellphone texting. People are so used to spell check that they do not check for homonyms. People are reading less books and playing more video games or surfing the Internet. You could probably write several thesis papers on this issue. And technically there are more illiterate people as the world's population continues to grow without proportionate increases in literacy rates.
Another factor is as a result of globalization, more non native English speakers are getting access to the Internet and contributing. Learning and applying that knowledge of a second or third or fourth language is difficult.

Answer 4

I often wondered the same thing. I can't understand why some people would want others to perceive them as unintelligent, when I see writing like that I feel sorry for the person, because they don't seem to be living up to their potential to be the best that they could be. I also wonder if the children of these people are embarrassed when the parent sends a note to the teacher like that. I have seen the most intelligent people write like this and it is confusing. I personally think it is just laziness.

Answer 5

I think it is both! There is no excuse for typing errors when spell check is available.

I think everyone is used to text messaging and "chatting" on line that people just spell however they want to and bastardize the English written language just as slang has bastardized the spoken language. I refuse to be a part of it, and I ignore most questions that are written by someone without the pride enough to communicate with a reasonable amount of respect for our lanquage.

Answer 6

I think it's a little of both. Some people honestly don't know any better and some are just too lazy to care - or even to hit the nice little spell check button - it's sad.

Answer 7

Some people cannot spell and don't realise it, and others that can, make mistakes and forget to spell check. I think the spell check should be more obvious, say in red.

Answer 8

Or maybe posting what they feel are really profound questions because they are pissed out of their minds (I've done it myself; viewed what I had written the night before and winced in embarrassment at all the typos, and at sentence structure that seemed perfectly coherent at the time!)

Answer 9

Because we just absh out answeers without bothing to check the first, so yes it is laxiness.

Honest - that was my first attempt. Pitiful isn't it? I've got a degree.

Answer 10

Most of us are not proficient in 2nd or 3rd languages. My Spanish, Chinese & French are pathetic. I admire how well many people are doing with their extra languages.
You must be highly prolific in multiple languages, which are ?